Cold-water generating tank, and water cooler equipped with same

ABSTRACT

A cold-water generating tank is provided for generating cold water by using the ice thermal storage method and a water cooler equipped with same. The cold-water generating tank includes a tank body which houses, on the inside thereof, an ice storage liquid cooled by means of a cooling unit; a cooling tube provided on the inside of the tank body in order to cool the ice storage liquid housed inside the tank body; and a cold-water generating unit which has a heat exchange tube forming a flow pathway where inflowing water becomes cold water through heat exchange with the ice storage liquid, and has an extension member positioned on the outer circumferential surface of the heat exchange tube in order to widen the area of contact with the ice storage liquid.

PRIORITY

This application is a National Phase Entry of PCT InternationalApplication No. PCT/KR2015/013242, which was filed on Dec. 4, 2015, andclaims priority to Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2014-0174435 and10-2014-0174436, which were each filed on Dec. 5, 2014, the contents ofeach of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a cold water generating tank forgenerating cold water by heat exchange and a water cooler having thesame, and more particularly, to a cold water generating tank forgenerating cold water using an ice thermal storage scheme and a watercooler having the same.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, a water cooler is a device for cooling water supplied from afaucet or a water dispenser and providing the water to a user. Such awater cooler may be mainly installed to cool drinking water in a waterpurifier, a water carbonator, a cold and hot water dispenser, and thelike. However, the water cooler may be utilized in various fieldsrequiring the generation of cold water.

A method for generating cold water includes a direct cooling method inwhich water accommodated in a cold water tank is directly cooled usingthe cold water tank, and an ice thermal storage method in which coldwater is generated using heat exchange with ice or a cold fluid.

Here, in the ice thermal storage method, cold water is generated by heatexchange between a cold heat-transfer material accommodated in an icestorage tank and water flowing in a heat exchange tube (cold water pipe)installed in the ice storage tank.

In this regard, a normal ice storage (ice thermal storage) coolingsystem includes a ice storage tank accommodating an ice storage liquid,a refrigerant tube (cooling tube) connected to a cooling unit to cool orfreeze the ice storage liquid, and a heat exchange tube generating coldwater by heat exchange between water and the ice storage liquid having atemperature lowered by the refrigerant tube.

Ice is formed around the refrigerant tube to a certain thickness by alow-temperature refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant tube, and thetemperature of the ice storage liquid is uniformly lowered since the icestorage liquid is circulated during the process. Meanwhile, when thetemperature of the ice storage liquid reaches a predetermined value orlower, the operation of the cooling unit (compressor) connected to therefrigerant tube may be stopped.

When cold water is extracted, the water flowing in the heat exchangetube exchanges heat with the ice storage liquid to be cooled, and theice storage liquid, whose temperature is raised due to the heatexchange, melts the ice formed around the refrigerant tube, therebyhaving a lowered temperature through latent heat.

During the heat exchange process, since the temperature of the icestorage liquid around the heat exchange tube is lowered due to the heatexchange, sufficient circulation of the ice storage liquid is requiredto smoothly generate cold water using the heat exchange tube.

However, even though the normal ice storage cooling system uses acirculation pump for circulation (convection) of the ice storage liquid,sufficient cooling efficiency may not be obtained due to the limitationin a structure in which the circulation of the ice storage liquid isinsufficient.

PATENT DOCUMENT 1

Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-0035888 (published Apr. 9,2013)

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

An aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a cold watergenerating tank having a maximized cooling efficiency to extract a largeamount of cold water, and a water cooler having the same.

An aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a cold watergenerating tank having a structure capable of maximizing coolingefficiency, and a water cooler having the same.

An aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a cold watergenerating tank having a structure capable of minimizing the occurrenceof condensation caused by an ice storage liquid, and a water coolerhaving the same.

Technical Solution

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a cold watergenerating tank includes a tank body accommodating an ice storage liquidcooled by a cooling unit, a cooling tube included in the tank body andconfigured to cool the ice storage liquid accommodated in the tank body,and a cold water generating unit including a heat exchange tubeconfigured to form a flow path on which inflowing water becomes coldwater by heat exchange with the ice storage liquid and an extensionmember located in an outer circumferential surface of the heat exchangetube and configured to increase a contact area with the ice storageliquid.

The cold water generating tank according to the exemplary embodiment ofthe prevent disclosure may further include a circulation unit configuredto circulate the ice storage liquid accommodated in the tank body.

The cold water generating unit may be installed inside the tank body tosurround a circumference of the cooling tube. In addition, thecirculation unit may jet the ice storage liquid in a direction from thecooling tube toward the cold water generating unit.

In addition, the cooling tube may have a spiral shape,three-dimensionally, and the heat exchange tube may have a spiral shape,three-dimensionally, to surround the circumference of the cooling tube.

Here, a height of the heat exchange tube in a longitudinal direction maybe greater than a diameter of the spiral formed by the cooling tube. Forexample, the height of the heat exchange tube in a longitudinaldirection may be 1.5 to 10 times a diameter of the spiral formed by thecooling tube.

In addition, a difference between a diameter of the spiral formed by theheat exchange tube and the diameter of the spiral formed by the coolingtube may be 0.5 to 4 times the diameter of the spiral formed by thecooling tube.

In addition, the cooling tube and the heat exchange tube may have ashape in which a space is formed in each gap in the longitudinaldirection.

In addition, the circulation unit may be configured to jet the icestorage liquid from a center portion of the spiral shape of the coolingtube such that the ice storage liquid flows to the cold water generatingunit via the ice formed on the cooling tube.

Meanwhile, the circulation unit may include a jetting member arranged inthe center portion of the spiral shape of the cooling tube in thelongitudinal direction of the cooling tube and jetting the ice storageliquid to the cooling tube, and a pumping member configured to intakethe ice storage liquid in the tank body to be supplied to the jettingmember. The circulation unit may further include an intake memberconfigured to supply the ice storage liquid in the tank body to thepumping member.

Here, the intake member may be disposed in a space between acircumference of the cold water generating unit and the tank body, and aplurality of intake members may be disposed on a circumference of thecold water generating unit at a predetermined interval.

Here, the jetting member may extend in the longitudinal direction of thecooling tube and include a plurality of injection holes.

In addition, the pumping member may be disposed inside the tank body tominimize the occurrence of condensation caused by the ice storage liquidflowing in the pumping member.

Meanwhile, the circulation unit may include a blocking member configuredto restrict flow between the jetting member and the pumping member toprevent the ice storage liquid jetted from the jetting member fromdirectly flowing into the pumping member. The blocking member may have adiameter greater than a diameter of the spiral formed by the coolingtube.

In addition, the cooling tube and the cold water generating unit mayform circular spiral shapes and maintain a constant distancetherebetween.

In addition, a pitch of the cooling tube may be the same as or amultiple of a pitch of the cold water generating unit, and the coldwater generating unit may be disposed to correspond to a gap of thecooling tube.

In addition, the extension member provided in the cold water generatingtank according to the exemplary embodiment of the prevent disclosure mayhave a shape protruding from the outer circumferential surface of theheat exchange tube, and consist of an ice contact member configured tobe in contact with ice formed on the circumference of the cooling tube.

Here, the cold water generating unit may be installed inside the tankbody to surround the circumference of the cooling tube, and the icecontact member may be in contact with the ice formed on thecircumference of the cooling tube.

In addition, the cooling tube may form a spiral shape,three-dimensionally, and the heat exchange tube may form a spiral shapesurrounding the circumference of the cooling tube. Here, the coolingtube and the cold water generating unit may have circular spiral shapesand maintain a constant distance therebetween.

In addition, a height of the heat exchange tube in the longitudinaldirection may be greater than a diameter of the spiral formed by thecooling tube. Further, the height of the heat exchange tube in thelongitudinal direction may be 1.5 to 10 times the diameter of the spiralformed by the cooling tube.

As another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the coldwater generating unit may include a first portion surrounding thecircumference of the cooling tube and a second portion passing throughan inside of the cooling tube, and the ice contact member may be incontact with the ice formed on the circumference of the cooling tubeinside and outside of the cooling tube.

As another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the coolingtube and the cold water generating unit may be layered and stacked in avertical direction inside the tank body. Here, at least a portion of theice contact member disposed in the cold water generating unit may be incontact with the ice formed on the cooling tube on both sides thereof.

As another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the coolingtube may be disposed over the cold water generating unit, and the icecontact member of the cold water generating unit may be in contact withthe ice formed on the cooling tube. Here, two or more layers of the coldwater generating unit may be stacked under the cooling tube, and the icecontact member of the cold water generating unit may be connected to thetwo or more layers of the cold water generating unit.

Meanwhile, the extension member (ice contact member) of the cold watergenerating unit may include a plurality of fin members formed integrallywith the outer circumferential surface of the heat exchange tube on acircumference of the heat exchange tube or installed on the outercircumferential surface of the heat exchange tube.

In addition, the heat exchange tube may have an integrally formedcircular spiral shape, and the fin members may be disposed on the outercircumferential surface of the heat exchange tube at a predeterminedinterval.

Alternatively, the heat exchange tube may form an integrally-formedzigzag pattern, and the fin members may be disposed on the outercircumferential surface of the heat exchange tube at a predeterminedinterval.

As another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the coldwater generating unit may be formed by connecting a plurality ofsegmented heat exchange tube units including the heat exchange tube andthe fin members. Here, the plurality of segmented heat exchange tubeunits may be connected by a connecting member connecting ends of thesegmented heat exchange tube units. The connection member may consist oftubing formed of a flexible material.

In addition, the fin members may have a structure simultaneouslyconnecting a plurality of heat exchange tubes.

In addition, the cold water generating unit may form a spiral shape,three-dimensionally, as a whole, by connecting the plurality ofsegmented heat exchange tube units.

In addition, the cold water generating unit may form a zigzag pattern asa whole by connecting the plurality of segmented heat exchange tubeunits.

In addition, the cold water generating unit may include a plurality oflayers by arranging a unit layer over or under the cooling tube, whereinthe unit layer may form a zigzag pattern as a whole by connecting theplurality of segmented heat exchange tube units.

Meanwhile, the fin members may have a rectangular, circular, orelliptical cross-section, and may be formed of a material includingaluminum or stainless steel.

In addition, the fin members may have a structure in which a portionadjacent to the cooling tube has a width greater than a height andextends toward the cooling tube.

In addition, a portion of the ice contact member facing the cooling tubemay have a length protruding from the outer circumferential surface ofthe heat exchange tube greater than an outer diameter of the heatexchange tube. Here, in the portion of the ice contact member facing thecooling tube, the length protruding from the outer circumferentialsurface of the heat exchange tube may be five times the outer diameterof the heat exchange tube or less.

In addition, the portion of the ice contact member facing the coolingtube may have a structure in which a length protruding from a center ofthe heat exchange tube is one third of a distance between centers of thecooling tube and the heat exchange tube or more.

In addition, the ice contact member may have a structure in which awidth in a direction toward the cooling tube is greater than a widthperpendicular to the direction toward the cooling tube.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a water coolerincludes the cold water generating tank as described above, a coolingunit connected to the cooling tube to cool the ice storage liquidaccommodated in the tank body; and a water outlet configured to beopened and closed to extract cold water generated in the cold watergenerating unit.

The cooling unit may form a cooling cycle including a compressor, acondenser, and an expander. The cooling tube may correspond to anevaporator of the cooling cycle.

In addition, the water cooler may further include a sensor unitconfigured to measure at least one of a temperature of the ice storageliquid accommodated in the tank body and a size of ice formed on thecooling tube, and a controller configured to control an operation of thecooling unit and/or the circulation unit using a value measured by thesensor unit.

The controller may control the circulation unit to circulate the icestorage liquid when a water output signal is input from the wateroutlet.

Meanwhile, the ice storage liquid accommodated in the tank body may bean aqueous solution having a freezing point lower than 0° C.

Advantageous Effects

As set forth above, according to an exemplary embodiment in the presentdisclosure, since an extension member (fin members) is installed on anouter circumferential surface of a heat exchange tube provided in a coldwater generating unit, heat exchange efficiency between an ice storageliquid and water flowing in the heat exchange tube may be greatlyimproved.

In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment in the presentdisclosure, since the cold water generating unit is arranged to surrounda cooling tube, and/or the ice storage liquid is jetted in a directionfrom the cooling tube toward the cold water generating unit, sufficientheat exchange with the cold water generating unit may be achieved bymaximally utilizing latent heat of ice formed on the cooling tube.

In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment in the presentdisclosure, since an ice contact member (fin members) is installed onthe outer circumferential surface of the heat exchange tube provided inthe cold water generating unit and the ice contact member is in contactwith the ice formed on the cooling tube, water flowing in the heatexchange tube may exchange heat with the ice formed around the coolingtube by conduction, thereby significantly increasing the heat exchangeefficiency.

In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment in the presentdisclosure, since the cold water generating unit is arranged to surroundthe cooling tube and coldness of the ice formed around the cooling tubeis transferred to the water flowing in the heat exchange tube byconduction, heat capacity of the ice storage liquid accommodated in atank body may be sufficiently and efficiently utilized, therebyincreasing efficiency of generating cold water.

In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment in the presentdisclosure, since heat transfer by direct conduction between the ice andthe ice storage liquid is implemented, it is possible to reduce thetotal volume of the ice storage liquid. In addition, since it ispossible to reduce a length of the heat exchange tube due to rapid heatexchange and high heat exchange efficiency, a reduction in a flow ratedue to increase in length of the heat exchange tube may be minimized.

Further, according to an exemplary embodiment in the present disclosure,since cooling efficiency is maximized by utilizing various structurecharacteristics described in the specifications and claims, a largeamount of cold water below a predetermined temperature may be extracted.

In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment in the presentdisclosure, since the heat exchange tube is arranged around the coolingtube, a diameter of a spiral formed by the heat exchange tube mayincrease. Accordingly, even when the heat exchange tube has the samelength as a normal heat exchange tube, it is possible to reduce athickness of the heat exchange tube, thereby increasing heat exchangeefficiency between the water flowing in the heat exchange tube and icestorage liquid. The normal heat exchange tube may require a large anglefor bending the heat exchange tube in order to secure a predeterminedlength or longer for the heat exchange tube in a predetermined internalspace of the tank body. However, according to an exemplary embodiment inthe present disclosure, the internal space of the tank body may besufficiently utilized and the bending angle may be reduced since thediameter of a spiral formed by the heat exchange tube decreases.Accordingly, the heat exchange tube according to an exemplary embodimentin the present disclosure may be formed to be thin, compared to thenormal heat exchange tube.

In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment in the presentdisclosure, since a pumping member is accommodated in the tank body, theoccurrence of condensation on the pumping member may be prevented.

In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment in the presentdisclosure, cooling efficiency, based on the ice storage liquid havingthe same volume, may be further increased by using an aqueous solutionhaving a freezing point lower than 0° C.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a water cooler according toan exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a cold watergenerating tank illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, partly sectioned and exploded, of the coldwater generating tank illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a structure of a cold watergenerating unit illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modified example of finmembers:

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a cold water generating tankaccording to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating a structure of a cold watergenerating unit illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIGS. 8 to 10 are schematic diagrams illustrating structures of coldwater generating units according to other exemplary embodiments of thepresent disclosure;

FIGS. 11 and 12 are cross-sectional views illustrating a function of acold water generating tank according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure, that is, FIG. 11 illustrates a state in which ice isformed on a cooling tube and FIG. 12 illustrates a circulation state ofan ice storage liquid during extraction of cold water;

FIG. 13 is a graph illustrating a change in temperature of extractedwater according to the number of extraction cups, illustrated to comparea cooling effect of the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosurewith a normal product;

FIG. 14 is a graph illustrating a temperature relationship between a icestorage liquid and cold water while continuously extracting cold waterfrom a cold water generating tank according to an exemplary embodimentof the present disclosure;

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating a water cooler according toanother exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a coldwater generating tank illustrated in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view, partly sectioned and exploded, of thecold water generating tank illustrated in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view illustrating a structure of a cold watergenerating unit illustrated in FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of a modified example of the coldwater generating tank illustrated in FIG. 16;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view illustrating a structure of a cold watergenerating unit and a cooling tube according to another exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram illustrating a front view of the coldwater generating unit and the cooling tube illustrated in FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is a schematic plan view illustrating a combined structure ofthe cold water generating unit illustrated in FIG. 20;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view illustrating a modified example of thestructure of the cold water generating unit and the cooling tubeillustrated in FIG. 20;

FIG. 24 is a schematic diagram illustrating a front view of the coldwater generating unit and the cooling tube illustrated in FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is a perspective view illustrating another modified example ofthe structure of the cold water generating unit and the cooling tubeillustrated in FIG. 20;

FIG. 26 is a perspective view illustrating a structure of a cold watergenerating unit and a cooling tube according to another exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 27 is a schematic diagram illustrating a front view of the coldwater generating unit and the cooling tube illustrated in FIG. 26;

FIG. 28 is a schematic diagram illustrating a modified example of theexemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 27; and

FIG. 29 is a schematic diagram illustrated to explain a function of acold water generating unit and a cooling tube according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present inventive concept will bedescribed as follows with reference to the attached drawings. Thepresent inventive concept may, however, be exemplified in many differentforms and should not be construed as being limited to the specificembodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided sothat this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fullyconvey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. In thedrawings, the sizes and shapes of components may be exaggerated forclarity.

As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise.

In this specification, a water cooler 200 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 29according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be usedin various water treatment apparatuses, such as a cold and hot waterdispenser, a functional water generator for generating functional watersuch as carbonated water, as well as a general water purifier.Therefore, in addition to compositions such as a filter unit 210, andthe like, which will be described later, a variety of compositions maybe added depending on the purpose or performance of the water treatmentapparatus. Further, it is obvious the water cooler 200 and a cold watergenerating tank 100 according to the exemplary embodiments of thepresent disclosure may be applied to a water treatment apparatus furtherincluding various components that are not illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 29.

Hereinafter, a water cooler 200 according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to14.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the water cooler 200 according to theexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include a cold watergenerating tank 100 which generates cold water according to an icethermal storage scheme, a cooling unit 220 for cooling an ice storageliquid accommodated in the cold water generating tank 100, and a wateroutlet 230 opened or closed to extract the cold water generated in acold water generating unit 130. The water cooler 200 according to theexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may further include asensor unit 180 sensing a temperature, and the like of the ice storageliquid, and a controller C controlling an operation of the cooling unit220 according to a value sensed by the sensor unit 180. Moreover, thewater cooler 200 according to the exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure may further include a filter unit 210 in front of the coldwater generating tank 100 in order to filter raw water.

First, the filter unit 210 may filter the raw water and supply thefiltered water to users, and may include a plurality of or a combinationof filters of various types according to specifications for the watertreatment apparatus. However, since the filter unit 210 is notnecessarily required in some water treatment apparatus such as a coldand hot water dispenser using natural water, the filter unit 210 may notbe provided as an essential component of the water cooler 200 accordingto the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Next, the cooling unit 220 may form ice I around a cooling tube 120 bysupercooling the ice storage liquid accommodated in a tank body 110 to atemperature below its freezing point. In this regard, the cooling unit220 may include a compressor for compressing a refrigerant according toa general cooling cycle, a condenser for condensing the refrigerantcompressed in the compressor, an evaporator for evaporating therefrigerant condensed in the condenser, and an expander for expandingthe refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator. Here, the cooling tube 120accommodated in the cold water generating tank 100 may correspond to anevaporator of a general cooling system. However, as long as the ice I isformed around the cooling tube 120 by cooling the ice storage liquid, aswill be described later, a well-known cooling device such as anelectronic cooling device may be used as the cooling unit 220.

Meanwhile, although an inlet 121 and an outlet 122 of the cooling tube120 are illustrated as passing through one side of the tank body 110 inorder to be connected to the cooling unit 220 in FIG. 3 (which are thesame in FIG. 17 to be described later), the path of cooling tube 120 maybe modified in various ways. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 10, theinlet 121 and outlet 122 of the cooling tube 120 may be installed topass through a bottom surface of the tank body 110. Here, the positionof the outlet 122 of the cooling tube 120 is illustrated differently inFIG. 1 (which are the same in FIG. 15 to be described later) for ease ofexplanation of connection of the cooling unit 220 and the cooling tube120.

In addition, the water outlet 230 may be provided to supply cold waterto users. The water outlet 230 may include a shut-off valve (not shown)opened or closed according to user selection. Here, the shut-off valvemay be an electronic valve operated by a user selecting a button or thelike, or may be a mechanical valve. However, when the water outlet 230includes the mechanical valve, a separate device providing a valve opensignal or a valve close signal to the controller C may be required. Coldwater discharged from the shut-off valve may be supplied to the userthrough a water outlet cock.

In addition, the sensor unit 180 may be provided to measure at least oneof a temperature of the ice storage liquid accommodated in the tank body110 and a size of the ice I formed around the cooling tube 120. Thesensor unit 180 may include one sensor or two or more sensors in orderto measure the temperature of the ice storage liquid at various pointsof the tank body 110 or separately measure the size (thickness) of theice I formed around the cooling tube 120. For example, the temperatureof the ice storage liquid may vary depending on a height of liquid inthe inside of the tank body 120, due to a difference in densitydepending on the temperature, sensors for sensing the temperature of theice storage liquid may be provided to correspond to different heights.In addition, the sensor unit 180 may be installed adjacently to thecooling tube 120 in order to sense the temperature at a point in directcontact with or adjacent to the ice I when the ice I is formed aroundthe cooling tube 120.

Meanwhile, the controller C may be configured to control the driving ofthe cooling unit 220 and the circulation unit 140 using a value measuredby the sensor unit 180.

That is, when the temperature of the ice storage liquid sensed by thesensor unit 180 is lower than a set temperature or the size (thickness)of the ice I formed around the cooling tube 120 is smaller than a setthickness, the controller C may drive the cooling unit 220 to lower thetemperature of the ice storage liquid accommodated in the tank body 110and to grow the ice I formed on an outer circumferential surface of thecooling tube 120.

Accordingly, when the temperature of the ice storage liquid reaches theset temperature or the size (thickness) of the ice I formed around thecooling tube 120 becomes equal to or larger than a certain thickness,the controller C may stop driving the cooling unit 220.

In addition, when a water output signal is input from the water outlet230, the controller C may control a circulation unit 140 to circulatethe ice storage liquid.

That is, when an open signal is input to the controller C from theshut-off valve (not shown) installed in the water outlet 230, thecontroller C may drive a pumping member 150 installed in the circulationunit 140 to circulate the ice storage liquid. In accordance with openingof the water outlet 230, the water flowing in the cold water generatingunit 130 may be cooled by heat exchange with the ice storage liquid andsupplied to a user through the water outlet cock. In this process, whenthe temperature sensed by the sensor unit 180 is lower than the settemperature or the size (thickness) of the ice I formed around thecooling tube 120 is smaller than the set thickness, the cooling unit 220may be simultaneously driven. Meanwhile, when the user closes theshut-off valve, a close signal may be input to the controller C, andthereby, the controller C may stop driving the pumping member 150.

Meanwhile, the driving of the pumping member 150 may be stoppedimmediately after the close signal is input through the shut-off valve,or may be continued for a certain period of time so as to uniformize thetemperature of the ice storage liquid. In addition, even when the closesignal is input through the shut-off valve, the driving of the coolingunit 220 may be controlled to continue until the temperature of the icestorage liquid reaches the set value or the size of the ice I formedaround the cooling tube 120 becomes equal to or larger than the certainthickness.

Next, a cold water generating tank 100 provided in a water cooler 200according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the cold water generating tank 100according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure mayinclude a tank body 110 having an internal space of a predetermined sizeand accommodating an ice storage liquid, a cooling tube 120 installed inthe internal space of the tank body 110 to cool the ice storage liquidaccommodated in the tank body 110, a cold water generating unit 130 inwhich inflowing water becomes cold water by heat exchange with the icestorage liquid, and a circulation unit 140 circulating the ice storageliquid accommodated in the tank body 110.

The tank body 110 may accommodate the ice storage liquid cooled by thecooling unit 220, and include a tank main body 111 forming a spacethereinside and a tank cover 115 covering an opening of the tank mainbody 111. The tank body 110 may have a cylindrical shape as illustratedin FIG. 3, but is not limited thereto. The tank body 110 may have ahexahedral shape as illustrated in FIG. 6.

In addition, the cooling tube 120 may correspond to the evaporator ofthe above-described cooling unit 220. The cooling tube 120 may have aspiral shape, three-dimensionally and may be arranged to be elongated ina vertical direction inside the tank body 110, as illustrated in FIG. 3.Meanwhile, although the cooling tube 120 and a heat exchange tube 131are described as being arranged to be elongated in a vertical directionbased on drawings in the specification and claims, the cooling tube 120and the heat exchange tube 131 may be arranged in a horizontaldirection. In this regard, the vertical direction may have the samemeaning as a longitudinal direction of the cooling tube 120 and the heatexchange tube 131 in the specification and claims.

A refrigerant may flow inside the cooling tube 120, and the ice storageliquid may be frozen to form ice I on an outer circumferential surfaceof the cooling tube 120 when the cooling unit 220 is operated.

A thickness of the ice I may be measured by the sensor unit 180 sensinga temperature of the ice storage liquid and/or being in contact with theice I. When the ice I having a predetermined thickness is formed, thecooling unit 220 may be controlled to stop the operation thereof.

In addition, the cold water generating unit 130 may include the heatexchange tube 131 forming a flow path on which inflowing water becomescold water by heat exchange with the ice storage liquid, and anextension member 135 located on an outer circumferential surface of theheat exchange tube 131 to increase a contact area with the ice storageliquid.

The heat exchange tube 131 may be arranged in the tank body 110 tosurround a circumference of the cooling tube 120. That is, asillustrated in FIG. 3, the heat exchange tube 131 may be arranged aroundthe cooling tube 120 having the spiral shape, three-dimensionally, tosurround the circumference of the cooling tube 120.

Meanwhile, in FIG. 3, although a water inflow hole 131 a and a wateroutflow hole 131 b of the heat exchange tube 131 are illustrated aspassing through one side of the tank body 110, a path of the heatexchange tube 131 may be variously modified. For example, a location ofthe water outflow hole 131 b of the heat exchange tube 131 isillustrated differently in FIGS. 1 and 2 from that illustrated in FIG.3, for ease of illustration.

The heat exchange tube 131 may have a spiral shape, three-dimensionally,like the cooling tube 120.

Meanwhile, ‘the spiral shape, three-dimensionally’ described in thespecification and claims may include a shape in which the heat exchangetube 131 or the cooling tube 120 has a polygonal structure as a whole ina plan view illustrated in FIG. 6, as well as a shape in which the heatexchange tube 131 or the cooling tube 120 has a circular structure as awhole in a plan view illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. That is, ‘the spiralshape, three-dimensionally’ described in the specification and claimsmay refer to a shape continuously formed and wound, three-dimensionally,like a screw thread, regardless of whether the shape has the polygonalstructure or the circular structure in a plan view.

Since the heat exchange tube 131 is arranged around the cooling tube120, a diameter of a spiral (D2 in FIG. 11) formed by the heat exchangetube 131 may be greater than a diameter of a spiral (D1 in FIG. 11)formed by the cooling tube 120. Accordingly, the heat exchange tube 131may have excellent workability and moldability.

For example, Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-0035888discloses that a heat exchange tube is bent at almost 180 degrees inorder to install the heat exchange tube having a certain length (e.g. 5meters) or longer in a narrow internal space of a tank body. In thiscase, since bursting may occur in a bend due to a large bending angle, athickness of the heat exchange tube is increased (approximately 0.7 mmfor a SUS material). However, according to the exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure, since the heat exchange tube 131 is arrangedaround the cooling tube 120, the diameter (D2 in FIG. 11) of the spiralformed by the heat exchange tube 131 may increase and thereby thethickness of the heat exchange tube 131 may decrease (reduced toapproximately 0.2 to 0.3 mm for a SUS material). Likewise, when thethickness of the heat exchange tube 131 decreases, heat exchangeefficiency between the water flowing in the heat exchange tube 131 andthe ice storage liquid may increase and cooling efficiency (efficiencyof generating cold water) may also increase.

In addition, Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-0035888discloses a structure in which a cooling tube is disposed over a tankbody and the heat exchange tube is disposed under the tank body. In thiscase, since the density of tubes is high at a lower portion of the tankbody but low at an upper portion of the tank body, space utilizationefficiency of the ice storage liquid is lowered and efficient use of theice storage liquid is difficult. However, according to the exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure, since the heat exchange tube 131is disposed around the cooling tube 120, the density of tubes may beuniform at both upper and lower portions of the tank body 110.Accordingly, not only the space utilization efficiency of the icestorage liquid may increase, but also the ice storage liquid may beefficiently used at both upper and lower portions of the tank body 110.That is, since the distance between the heat exchange tube 131 and thecooling tube 120 is uniform throughout the total length of the heatexchange tube 131, the ice I formed on the outer circumferential surfaceof the cooling tube 120 having a relatively low temperature and the icestorage liquid having a low temperature around the cooling tube 120 maybe efficiently used. In particular, since the heat exchange tube 131disclosed in Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-0035888 has adense structure, flowing or mixing of the ice storage liquid isinsufficient resulting in unevenness of the temperature of the icestorage liquid. However, according to the exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure, since the cooling tube 120 and the heat exchangetube 131 are arranged to be adjacent to each other as a whole, coolingefficiency may be improved.

Meanwhile, as will be described later, the circulation unit 140 may havea structure in which the ice storage liquid is jetted in a directionfrom the cooling tube 120 toward the cold water generating unit 130,that is, in an outward direction from a center of the tank body 110.

Accordingly, since the ice storage liquid moves toward the cold watergenerating unit 130 to exchange heat with water flowing in the heatexchange tube 131 when the temperature of the ice storage liquid islowered due to melting of the ice I formed around the cooling tube 120,cold water generating efficiency may be greatly improved.

In particular, when a pitch of the cooling tube 120 and the heatexchange tube 131 (a center distance between adjacent tubes) is adjustedto form a predetermined space between the tubes, a space may be formedin a gap of the cooling tube 120 in the longitudinal direction. Inaddition, a space through which the ice storage liquid flows may beformed in a gap of the heat exchange tube 131 in the longitudinaldirection. Accordingly, the ice storage liquid cooled during flowingaround the cooling tube 120 may easily reach the heat exchange tube 131through the space formed in the gap of the cooling tube 120. Inaddition, the ice storage liquid reaching the heat exchange tube 131 mayalso move in an inward direction of the tank body 110 through the spaceformed in the gap of the heat exchange tube 131 after exchanging heat.Since such a flow is performed uniformly over the entire length from atop to a bottom of the cooling tube 120 and the heat exchange tube 131,the cooling efficiency may be uniform over the entire length of the heatexchange tube 131 and sufficient cooling may be achieved.

In this regard, the pitch of the cooling tube 120 may be 1.2 to 5 timesthe outer diameter of the cooling tube 120 so as to form the space inthe gap of the cooling tube 120 in the longitudinal direction. Here,when the pitch of the cooling tube 120 is smaller than 1.2 times theouter diameter of the cooling tube 120, the size of the space formed inthe gap of the cooling tube 120 may be smaller than 0.2 times the outerdiameter of the cooling tube 120, thereby significantly increasingresistance during passing of the ice storage liquid. In addition, whenthe pitch of the cooling tube 120 is greater than the outer diameter ofthe cooling tube 120 by 5 times, the size of the space formed in the gapof the cooling tube 120 may be greater than the outer diameter of thecooling tube 120 by 4 times, thereby not only decreasing spaceefficiency but also shortening the length of the cooling tube 120 in apredetermined volume. Accordingly, heat exchange may not be performed.

In addition, the pitch of the cooling tube 120 and the pitch of the coldwater generating unit 130 may be the same or have a multiplerelationship and, in this case, the cold water generating unit 130 maybe arranged to correspond to the space formed in the gap of the coolingtube 120. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 2, when the heat exchange tube131 of the cold water generating unit 130 is arranged to correspond tothe space formed in the gap of cooling tube 120, the ice storage liquidmay easily pass through the space formed in the gap of cooling tube 120to reach the heat exchange tube 131. In order to form such a staggeredarrangement, the pitch of the cooling tube 120 and the pitch of the coldwater generating unit 130 may be the same or have a multiplerelationship. However, even when the pitch of the cooling tube 120 isdifferent from the pitch of the cold water generating unit 130, themotion of the ice storage liquid may not be limited since the space isformed in the gap of the cooling tube 120 and in the gap of the heatexchange tube 131 of the cold water generating unit 130. Accordingly,the present inventive concept may not be limited to the structure havingthe pitch scheme described above.

In addition, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cooling tube 120 andthe heat exchange tube 131 of the cold water generating unit 130 may beconfigured to have a uniform distance in a width direction (or adiameter direction), and thereby the cooling efficiency may be uniformover the entire length from the top to the bottom of the cooling tube120 and the heat exchange tube 131.

Meanwhile, a height (H in FIG. 11) of the heat exchange tube 131 in thelongitudinal direction may be set to be greater than a diameter (D1 inFIG. 11) of the spiral formed by the cooling tube 120. Therefore, aninternal space of the cooling tube 120 may be reduced, and the heatexchange tube 131 may be in sufficient contact with the ice storageliquid flowing through the cooling tube 120.

Here, the height H in FIG. 11 of the heat exchange tube 131 in thelongitudinal direction may be 1.5 to 10 times, preferably 1.5 to 5times, the diameter (D1 in FIG. 11) of the spiral formed by the coolingtube 120. When the longitudinal height H of the heat exchange tube 131is smaller than the diameter D1 of the spiral formed by the cooling tube120, the diameter D1 of the spiral formed by the cooling tube 120 maybecome relatively large. Accordingly, the internal space of the coolingtube 120 may not be efficiently utilized. On the other hand, when thelongitudinal height H of the heat exchange tube 131 is greater than thediameter D1 of the spiral formed by the cooling tube 120 by 10 times,the length of the tank body 110 may become excessively large therebylimiting installation of the tank body 110 in the water cooler 200, andthe diameter D1 of the spiral formed by the cooling tube 120 may becomeexcessively small thereby limiting molding of the cooling tube 120.

In addition, the heat exchange tube 131 and the cooling tube 120 maypreferably be arranged to be adjacent to each other so that the icestorage liquid sufficiently cooled by being in contact with the ice Iwhile passing through the space between gaps of the cooling tube 120exchanges heat with the water flowing in the heat exchange tube 131without being affected by the surrounding ice storage liquid. In thisregard, the difference (2*L in FIG. 11) between the diameter D2 of thespiral formed by the heat exchange tube 131 and the diameter D1 of thespiral formed by the cooling tube 120 may preferably be 0.5 to 4 timesthe diameter D1 of the spiral formed by the cooling tube 120. When thedifference 2*L of the diameters D1 and D2 is smaller than 0.5 times thediameter D1 of the spiral formed by the cooling tube 120, the coolingtube 120 and the heat exchange tube 131 may be extremely close to eachother, and the ice I formed on the outer circumferential surface of thecooling tube 120 may extend to the heat exchange tube 131. Accordingly,water flowing in the heat exchange tube 131 may freeze and the heatexchange tube 131 may be frozen and burst. On the other hand, when thedifference 2*L of the diameters D1 and D2 is greater than 4 times thediameter D1 of the spiral formed by the cooling tube 120, the coolingtube 120 and the heat exchange tube 131 may be extremely close to eachother, a distance (L in FIG. 11) between tube centers of the heatexchange tube 131 and the cooling tube 120 may become twice or more thanthe diameter D1 of the spiral formed by the cooling tube 120. Therefore,an excessively large space may be formed between the heat exchange tube131 and the cooling tube 120, and space utilization may not beefficient. Furthermore, since the ice storage liquid cooled due tocontact with the ice I during passing through the space formed in thegap of the cooling tube 120 and heated again by heat exchange withsurrounding ice storage liquid reaches the heat exchange tube 131,sufficient cooling efficiency may not be obtained.

Meanwhile, the extension member 135 of the cold water generating unit130 may include a plurality of fin members which are integrally formedwith the outer circumferential surface of the heat exchange tube 131around the heat exchange tube 131 or installed on the outercircumferential surface of the heat exchange tube 131 (hereinafter, theextension member and the fin members will be denoted by a referencenumeral 135). As illustrated in FIG. 4, the fin members 135 may bearranged on the outer circumferential surface of the heat exchange tube131 having a spiral shape, at predetermined intervals. Meanwhile,although the fin members 135 are schematically illustrated as being incontact with each other in FIGS. 3 and 4, predetermined intervals may beformed between the fin members 135 so that the ice storage liquid can bein contact with the heat exchange tube 131 through spaces between thefin members 135, as illustrated in an enlarged view of FIG. 4. Here, thefin members 135 may be arranged to have the predetermined intervals, butare not limited thereto. In addition, the fin members 135 may beinstalled at the entire area of the heat exchange tube 131 adjacent tothe cooling tube 120, but are not limited thereto. When a plurality ofsegmented heat exchange tube units 130 u are connected to each otherthrough a connection member 137, the fin members 135 may be installed ata portion of the heat exchange tube 131 as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7.

Such fin members 135 may have a polygonal (rectangular) cross-section asillustrated in FIG. 5(a), or a circular cross-section as illustrated inFIG. 5(b). In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the fin members 135may have a rectangular shape having a width greater than a height, and astructure in which only a width of a portion facing the cooling tube 120with respect to the heat exchange tube 131 is elongated.

The fin members 135 may be formed of a material including aluminum orstainless steel (SUS). That is, the fin members 135 may be formed ofstainless steel, which is the same material as the heat exchange tube131, or aluminum to increase heat exchange efficiency. In addition,anti-corrosion coating may be performed on the heat exchange tube 131 toprevent corrosion thereof.

Next, the circulation unit 140 will be described.

As described above, the circulation unit 140 may jet the ice storageliquid from a center of the spiral of the cooling tube 120 to flow theice storage liquid to the cold water generating unit 130 passing by theice I formed on the cooling tube 120.

In this regard, the circulation unit 140 may include a jetting member160 arranged in a center portion of the spiral shape of the cooling tube120 in a longitudinal direction of the cooling tube 120 and jetting theice storage liquid toward the cooling tube 120, and a pumping member 150intaking the ice storage liquid in the tank body 110 to supply the icestorage liquid to the jetting member 160. The circulation unit 140 mayadditionally include an intake member 141 supplying the ice storageliquid in the tank body 110 to the pumping member 150.

The jetting member 160 may extend in the longitudinal direction(vertical direction) of the cooling tube 120 and have a plurality ofinjection holes 161. Here, the plurality of injection holes 161 may beformed in a longitudinal direction of the jetting member 160 asillustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Accordingly, the ice storage liquid may bejetted over the entire portion in the longitudinal direction of thecooling tube 120 through jetting member 160.

In addition, the pumping member 150 may consist of an intaking and/orpressurizing device such as a pump. Here, the pumping member 150 may beinstalled in the tank body 110 to minimize the occurrence ofcondensation thereon by the ice storage liquid flowing in the pumpingmember 150. That is, when the pumping member 150 is installed outsidethe tank body 110, condensation may occur on an external surface of thepumping member 150 due to a difference in temperature from the outsideair. Water drops due to condensation may cause electric shocks and shortcircuits. However, according to the exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure, the occurrence of condensation may be fundamentally blockedby installing the pumping member 150 inside the tank body 110. Thepumping member 150 may use a submerged pump that can be operated in astate of being immersed in the ice storage liquid.

Meanwhile, a plurality of intake members 141 may be arranged at apredetermined interval on the circumference of the cold water generatingunit 130. That is, the intake members 141 may preferably be arranged ina space between the cold water generating unit 130 and the tank body 110so as to resupply the ice storage liquid, which is jetted from thejetting member 160, then cooled during passing through the cooling tube120, and then heated by heat exchange with the heat exchange tube 131,to the pumping member 150. In addition, since the plurality of intakemembers 141 are arranged at the predetermined interval on thecircumference of the cold water generating unit 130, the ice storageliquid may be intaken from the entire space between the cold watergenerating unit 130 and the tank body 110. Although four intake members141 are arranged to be spaced apart from each other at the predeterminedinterval in FIG. 3, the number of the intake members 141 may not belimited thereto. In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 2, inlets of theintake members 141 may extend to a lower portion of the tank body 110,but the locations of the inlets are not limited thereto. Further, theinlets of at least a portion of the intake members 141 may be disposedat different heights.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the plurality of intake members 141 maybe connected to the pumping member 150, through a manifold 143connecting the intake members 141 each other and a supply tube 142 inorder. Meanwhile, although the intake members 141 are illustrated aspassing through the tank cover 115 in FIGS. 2 and 3, the intake members141 may pass through the tank main body 111 or may be connected to thepumping member 150 inside the tank body 110.

Next, a cold water generating tank 100 according to another exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference toFIGS. 6 and 7.

The cold water generating tank 100 illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, likethe cold water generating tank 100 illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, mayinclude a tank body 110 accommodating an ice storage liquid in apredetermined size of space thereinside, a cooling tube 120 installed inthe tank body 110 to cool the ice storage liquid accommodated in thetank body 110, a cold water generating unit 130 in which inflowing waterbecomes cold water by heat exchange with the ice storage liquid, and acirculation unit 140 circulating the ice storage liquid accommodated inthe tank body 110.

However, the cold water generating unit 130 of the cold water generatingtank 100 illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 has a different structure andshape from that illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, and accordingly the tankbody 110 has a hexahedral shape. Accordingly, detailed descriptions ofthe same or a similar configuration will be omitted to avoid duplicatedescription, and a different configuration of the cold water generatingunit 130 will be described.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the cold water generating unit 130 mayinclude a heat exchange tube 131 forming a flow path on which inflowingwater becomes cold water by heat exchange with the ice storage liquid,and an extension member (fin members) 135 located on an outercircumferential surface of the heat exchange tube 131 to increase acontact area with the ice storage liquid. The heat exchange tube 131 maybe arranged in the tank body 110 in a manner surrounding a circumferenceof the cooling tube 120. That is, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, theheat exchange tube 131 may be arranged around the cooling tube 120having a spiral shape, three-dimensionally in the manner surrounding thecircumference of the cooling tube 120.

Here, the cold water generating unit 130 may have a structure in which aplurality of segmented heat exchange tube units 130 u including the heatexchange tube 131 and the fin members 135 are connected each other, forease of manufacturing.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the segmented heat exchange tube units 130 umay have a structure in which the fin members 135 are arranged on anouter circumferential surface of a segmented heat exchange tube 131 u.Although the segmented heat exchange tube 131 u is illustrated as havinga linear shape in FIG. 7, it may also have an arc shape.

Here, the plurality of segmented heat exchange tube units 130 u may beconnected by a connection member 137 connecting ends of the segmentedheat exchange tubes 131 u to each other. Such a connection member 137may consist of, for example, tubing formed of a flexible material, butis not limited thereto. That is, a metallic connecting pipe may beattached to an end of the segmented heat exchange tube 131 u by weldingor the like.

In addition, a clamping member 138 may be used to tightly attach theconnection member 137 to the end of the segmented heat exchange tubeunit 131 u.

The segmented heat exchange tube units 130 u may be connected to eachother by the connection member 137 and stacked. Accordingly, the coldwater generating unit 130 may form the spiral shape,three-dimensionally, as illustrated in FIG. 6. That is, the cold watergenerating unit 130 may be configured to form the spiral shape,three-dimensionally, as illustrated in FIG. 6 by stacking the segmentedheat exchange tube units 130 u having a basically rectangular shape asillustrated in a plan view of FIG. 7. In order to accommodate the coldwater generating unit 130, the tank body 110 may also have a hexahedralstructure.

In addition, an intake member 141 may be located at four corners of thetank body 110, as illustrated in FIG. 6.

Next, a cold water generating tank 100 according to another exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference toFIG. 8.

The cold water generating tank 100 illustrated in FIG. 8 may have astructure in which fin members 135 extends toward a cooling tube 120compared to those illustrated in FIG. 2 and thereby ice I formed on acircumferential surface of the cooling tube 120 extends to the finmembers 135. That is, the fin members 135 may have a structure in whicha length (width) of a portion adjacent to the cooling tube 120 isgreater than a height of the fin members 135. Accordingly, the finmembers 135 may have a structure in which the length in a directiontoward the cooling tube 120 is longer than the height in a directionperpendicular to the cooling tube 120.

In this manner, when the ice I formed on a circumferential surface ofthe cooling tube 120 extends to the fin members 135, the coldness of theice I may be transferred to the fin members 135 by direct conduction.Accordingly, heat of water flowing in a heat exchange tube 131 may betransferred to the ice I formed on the fin members 135 through the heatexchange tube 131 and the fin members 135 by conduction. Accordingly,cold water generation efficiency may be further increased.

Here, when the ice I is generated extending to the heat exchange tube131, water flowing in the heat exchange tube 131 may freeze and the heatexchange tube 131 may be frozen and burst. In order to prevent this, thefin members 135 may preferably have a structure in which portionsadjacent to the cooling tube 120 extend toward the cooling tube 120 andthereby the heat exchange tube 131 is spaced apart from the cooling tube120. Although the fin members 135 illustrated in FIG. 8, compared tothose illustrated in FIG. 2, have a structure in which a length (width)of portions adjacent to the cooling tube 120 is longer than a length(width) of the opposite portions, both portions of the fin members 135may extend in the width direction.

Next, a cold water generating tank 100 according to another exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference toFIGS. 9 and 10.

The cold water generating tank 100 illustrated in FIG. 9 may bedifferent from the cold water generating tank 100 illustrated in FIGS. 2to 4, in that a blocking member 190 is installed in a circulation unit140 and a intake member 155 does not extend to a lower portion of a tankbody 110.

The blocking member 190 may limit a flow between a jetting member 160and a pumping member 150 so as to prevent the ice storage liquid jettedfrom the jetting member 160 from directly inflowing to the pumpingmember 150.

That is, when a length of the intake member 155 is short or when thepumping member 150 has an inlet 151 and no intake member 155, the icestorage liquid jetted from the jetting member 160 may reflow into thepumping member 150 without being circulated or mixed sufficiently in thetank body 110. In this case, temperature may become uneven in the tankbody 110, thereby reducing the cold water generation efficiency of acold water generating unit 130. Accordingly, the ice storage liquidjetted from the pumping member 150 may need to be intaken into thepumping member 150 after passing through the cooling tube 120. In thisregard, a diameter of the blocking member 190 may be greater than adiameter (D1 in FIG. 11) of a spiral formed by the cooling tube 120. Inaddition, when the ice storage liquid jetted from the pumping member 150flows back into the pumping member 150 after passing through the coolingtube 120 and a heat exchange tube 131, the circulation efficiency may befurther improved. Therefore, the diameter of the blocking member 190 maybe similar to or greater than the diameter (D1 in FIG. 11) of the spiralformed by the cold water generating unit 130. Here, the blocking member190 may not be limited to a circular shape. The blocking member 190 mayhave a rectangular shape. When the shape of the blocking member 190 isnot circular, the diameter of the blocking member 190 is based on alength of a short side thereof.

In addition, although the intake member 155 is illustrated as beingattached to the inlet 151 of the pumping member 150 in FIG. 9, theintake member 155 may not be essential when the blocking member 190 isinstalled. In addition, even when the blocking member 190 is installed,the intake member 155 may have a structure extending to a lower portionof the tank body 110 to some extent, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

Meanwhile, a structure of the cold water generating tank 100 includingthe blocking member 190 illustrated in FIG. 9 is illustrated in FIG. 10.Here, the circulation unit 140 including the pumping member 150 may beinstalled in the lower portion of the tank body 110. That is, althoughthe circulation unit 140 is installed in an upper portion of the tankbody 110 according to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2 to9, the blocking member 190, the pumping member 150, and the like, whichconsist the circulation unit 140, may be installed in the lower portionof the tank body 110 when the pumping member 150 uses a submerged motoras illustrated in FIG. 10. In addition, although the inlet 121 andoutlet 122 of the cooling tube 120 are disposed at a bottom of the tankbody 110 as illustrated in FIG. 10, the location of the inlet 121 andoutlet 122 of the cooling tube 120 connected to the tank body 110 maynot be limited thereto as described above.

Meanwhile, the ice storage liquid accommodated in the tank body 110 mayutilize water having a freezing point of 0° C., or an aqueous solutionhaving a freezing point lower than 0° C. to increase heat capacity (heatcontent) of the ice storage liquid.

Here, the ice storage liquid may preferably be formed of a materialwhich is less harmful to human body and which does not cause corrosionof the cooling tube 120 or the heat exchange tube 131.

In this regard, propylene glycol, used as an extender and humectant ofbread and an extender of shortening, and approved as a solvent for foodby United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), may be formed inaqueous solution and used as the ice storage liquid. Accordingly, notonly the overall heat capacity (heat content) of the tank body 110 maybe increased, but also damage to the human body may be minimized.

In addition, since the aqueous propylene glycol solution is notcorrosive, corrosion of the tank body 110 or a metallic tube installedtherein may be inhibited.

Here, a temperature of freezing point depression of the ice storageliquid may be controlled by adjusting the amount of propylene glycolused to form the aqueous propylene glycol solution.

However, the ice storage liquid according to the exemplary example ofthe present disclosure may not be limited to the above described wateror aqueous propylene glycol solution, and various types of aqueoussolutions such as sugar water may be used.

Next, a process of generating cold water using a water cooler 200 and acold water generating tank 100 according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 1 andFIGS. 11 to 14.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 11, when a temperature of the ice storageliquid sensed by the sensor unit 180 is lower than a set temperature ora size (thickness) of the ice I formed on the cooling tube 120 issmaller than a set thickness, the controller C may drive the coolingunit 220 to lower the temperature of the ice storage liquid accommodatedin the tank body 110 and grow the ice I formed on an outercircumferential surface of the cooling tube 120.

Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 11, a predetermined size (thickness)of the ice I may be formed on the outer circumferential surface of thecooling tube 120. When the temperature of the ice storage liquid reachesthe set temperature, or the size of the ice I formed on the cooling tube120 becomes a predetermined size or more, the controller C may stopdriving the cooling unit 220.

Meanwhile, when a user operates the water outlet 230 to open theshut-off valve, an open signal of the shut-off valve may be transferredto the controller C, and the controller C may drive the pumping member150 of the circulation unit 140 to generate cold water.

When the ice storage liquid is jetted through the injection holes 161 ofthe jetting member 160 by the pumping member 150, the ice storage liquidmay come into contact with the ice I formed around the cooling tube 120.Accordingly, since the ice I formed around the cooling tube 120 melts, aspace through which the ice storage liquid flows may be formed in a gapof the cooling tube 120. Although the ice I formed around the coolingtube 120 is illustrated as being integrally formed to have a constantthickness throughout the cooling tube 120 in FIG. 11, the shape of theice I formed around the cooling tube 120 may vary depending on a pitchof the cooling tube 120 or a controlled size (thickness) of the ice I.In addition, even when the pipe-shaped ice I is formed on the coolingtube 120, the space through which the ice storage liquid flows may beformed between the ice I after the ice is partially removed by jettingof the ice storage liquid.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, when the jetted ice storage liquid comes intocontact with the ice I formed on the cooling tube 120, the space betweenthe ice I may be gradually widen and the cooled ice storage liquid mayexchange heat with water flowing in the cold water generating unit 130.Here, since the fin members 135 are installed in the cold watergenerating unit 130, an area in contact with the ice storage liquid maybe increased, resulting in smoother heat exchange between the icestorage liquid and the water flowing in the heat exchange tube 131.Experimental results show that the heat exchange efficiency obtainedwhen the fin members 135 are installed around the heat exchange tube 131increases by about 2.5 times or more than that obtained when the finmembers 135 are not installed around the heat exchange tube 131.

In addition, as described above, when the thickness of the heat exchangetube 131 is reduced, the heat exchange efficiency (cold water generationefficiency) may be further increased.

In addition, since the cold water generating unit 130 has a spiralshape, three-dimensionally, a space may be formed between the finmembers 135, as well as in the gap of the heat exchange tube 131.Accordingly, the ice storage liquid flowing from the cooling unit 220 tothe cold water generating unit 130 may easily move to a space betweencold water generating unit 130 and the tank body 110 through the spaceformed in the cold water generating unit 130.

Then, the ice storage liquid may be intaken by the intake member 141(155 in FIGS. 9 and 10) installed in the space between the cold watergenerating unit 130 and the tank body 110, to be supplied again to thejetting member 160 by the pumping member 150. Accordingly, a flow path,in which the ice storage liquid moves from a center portion of the tankbody 110 to an inner circumferential surface of the tank body 110(radially outwardly) and moves back to the center portion of the tankbody 110 by the pumping member 150, may be formed. In particular, sincethe jetting member 160, the cooling tube 120, and the cold watergenerating unit 130 are longitudinally installed in a verticaldirection, circulation and mixing of the ice storage liquid may beeasily performed over the entire upper and lower portions of the tankbody 110, resulting in uniform distribution of the temperature of theice storage liquid. Meanwhile, in FIGS. 9 and 10, since the ice storageliquid jetted from the jetting member 160 is intaken into the pumpingmember 150 by blocking member 190 after passing through the cooling tube120 and/or the cold water generating unit 130, the circulation schemedescribed above may be maintained.

Meanwhile, in the process of generating cold water, the cooling unit 220may be simultaneously operated when a temperature sensed by the sensorunit 180 is lower than the set temperature or the size (thickness) ofthe ice I formed on the cooling tube 120 is smaller than the setthickness. In addition, when a user closes the shut-off valve, a closesignal is input to the controller C, and accordingly the controller Cmay stop driving the pumping member 150 immediately or after apredetermined time.

In this manner, the water flowing in the heat exchange tube 131 maysufficiently exchange heat with the ice storage liquid to generate coldwater, and thereby cold water generation efficiency may be greatlyincreased.

FIG. 13 is a graph illustrating variations in temperature of extractedwater according to the number of extraction cups (1 cup: 120 ml),provided to compare the cooling effect of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure with that of a related art.

Referring to FIG. 13, the number of cups of extracted cold water havinga temperature of 10° C. or lower is only 5 to 7 in Comparative Examples1 to 3, which are products currently on the market. However, when theexperiment is performed based on the exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure as illustrated in FIG. 6, the number of cups of extractedcold water having a temperature of 10° C. or lower is 20 to 21 for thesame volume (approximately 2 liters) of the ice storage liquid.Exemplary Embodiment 1 uses water as the ice storage liquid, andExemplary Embodiment 2 uses the ice storage liquid having a freezingpoint lowered to −0.5° C. Here, the number of cups of extracted coldwater slightly increases in Exemplary Embodiment 2 in comparison toExemplary Embodiment 1. However, when the freezing point of the icestorage liquid is lowered than that in Exemplary Embodiment 2, thenumber of cups of extracted cold water may further increase.

Meanwhile, FIG. 14 is a graph illustrating a relationship in temperaturebetween the ice storage liquid and cold water during continuousextraction from the cold water generating tank 100 according to theexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure as illustrated in FIG. 6.

Referring to FIG. 14, even in the case of continuous extraction of coldwater, compared with discontinuous extraction described with referenceto FIG. 13, there may be little difference between an inflow temperatureof ice storage liquid in the jetting member 160 and an outflowtemperature of ice storage liquid in the intake member 141, conformingthat the ice storage liquid efficiently circulates in the tank body 110.

When the continuous extraction is performed at a flow rate of 1 LPM(liter per minute), cold water having a temperature of 10° C. or loweris extracted for 116 seconds, which corresponds to 1.93 liters.

Compared with FIG. 13, even when the continuous extraction is performed,the number of cups of extracted cold water is 16 or more (130 ml basis),which represents significantly improved cooling efficiency compared to arelated art.

Next, a water cooler 200 according to other exemplary embodiments of thepresent disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 to 29.

As illustrated in FIG. 15, a water cooler 200 according to anotherexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include a cold watergenerating tank 100 which generates cold water according to an icethermal storage scheme, a cooling unit 220 for cooling an ice storageliquid accommodated in the cold water generating tank 100, and a wateroutlet 230 opened or closed to extract the cold water generated in thecold water generating unit 130. The water cooler 200 according to theexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may further include asensor unit 180 sensing a temperature or the like of the ice storageliquid, and a controller C controlling an operation of the cooling unit220 according to a value sensed by the sensor unit 180. Moreover, thewater cooler 200 according to the exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure may further include the filter unit 210 in front of the coldwater generating tank 100 in order to filter raw water.

The water cooler 200 illustrated in FIG. 15, like the water cooler 200illustrated in FIG. 1, may include the cold water generating tank 100,the cooling unit 220, and the water outlet 230, and further include thesensor unit 180, the controller C, and the filter unit 210. However,configurations of the cold water generating tank 100 and the controllerC are different from those described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 14.

Accordingly, to avoid duplicated descriptions, detailed descriptions ofconfigurations of the cooling unit 220, the water outlet 230, the sensorunit 180, and the filter unit 210 may be substituted by the descriptionof those illustrated in FIG. 1, and configurations different from thoseillustrated in FIG. 1 will be mainly be provided.

According to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 15 to 29, thecontroller C may control an operation of the cooling unit 220 accordingto a value measured in the sensor unit 180.

That is, when a temperature of the ice storage liquid sensed by thesensor unit 180 is lower than a set temperature or a size (thickness) ofthe ice I formed on the cooling tube 120 is smaller than a setthickness, the controller C may drive the cooling unit 220 to lower thetemperature of the ice storage liquid accommodated in the tank body 110and grow the ice I formed on an outer circumferential surface of thecooling tube 120.

Accordingly, when the temperature of the ice storage liquid reaches theset temperature or the size of the ice I formed on the cooling tube 120becomes equal to or larger than a certain value, the controller C maystop driving the cooling unit 220.

Meanwhile, when a water output signal is input from the water outlet230, a shut-off valve (not shown) installed in the water outlet 230 maybe opened to extract cold water.

In this manner, in accordance with opening of the water outlet 230, thewater flowing in the cold water generating unit 130 may be cooled byheat exchange with the ice storage liquid and supplied to a user throughthe water outlet cock. In this process, when the temperature sensed bythe sensor unit 180 is lower than the set temperature or the size(thickness) of the ice I formed on the cooling tube 120 is smaller thanthe set thickness, the cooling unit 220 may be operated.

In addition, when the user completes cold water extraction and the closesignal is input to the controller C, the controller C may close theshut-off valve. Here, the operation of the cooling unit 220 may bestopped immediately after the close signal is input, or may be continueduntil the temperature of the ice storage liquid reaches the settemperature or the size of the ice I formed on the cooling tube 120becomes equal to or larger than the certain value,

Next, the cold water generating tank 100 installed in the water cooler200 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure willbe described with reference to FIGS. 15 to 19.

As illustrated in FIGS. 15 to 17 and FIG. 19, the cold water generatingtank 100 may include a tank body 110 having an internal space of apredetermined size and accommodating an ice storage liquid, a coolingtube 120 installed in the internal space of the tank body 110 to coolthe ice storage liquid accommodated in the tank body 110, and a coldwater generating unit 130 in which inflowing water becomes cold water byheat exchange with the ice storage liquid.

The tank body 110 may separately include a tank main body 111accommodating the ice storage liquid cooled by the cooling unit 220 andforming a space thereinside, and a tank cover 115 covering an opening ofthe tank main body 111. The tank body 110 may have a cylindrical shapeas illustrated in FIG. 17, but is not limited thereto. The tank body 110may have a hexahedral shape.

In addition, the cooling tube 120 may correspond to the above-describedevaporator of the cooling unit 220. The cooling tube 120 may have aspiral shape, three-dimensionally, arranged to be elongated in avertical direction in the tank body 110, as illustrated in FIG. 17.Meanwhile, although the cooling tube 120 and a heat exchange tube 131are described as being arranged to be elongated in the verticaldirection based on FIGS. 16 to 19 in the specification and claims, thecooling tube 120 and the heat exchange tube 131 may be arranged in ahorizontal direction. In this regard, throughout the specification andclaims, the vertical direction described according to the exemplaryembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 16 to 19 may have the same meaning as alongitudinal direction of the cooling tube 120 and the heat exchangetube 131.

A refrigerant may flow inside the cooling tube 120, and the ice storageliquid may be frozen to form ice I on an outer circumferential surfaceof the cooling tube 120 when the cooling unit 220 is operated.

A thickness of the ice I may be measured by the sensor unit 180 sensinga temperature of the ice storage liquid and/or being in contact with theice I. When a predetermined thickness of ice I is formed, the coolingunit 220 may be controlled to stop the operation thereof.

In addition, the cold water generating unit 130 may include the heatexchange tube 131 forming a flow path on which inflowing water becomescold water by heat exchange with the ice storage liquid, and anextension member 135 protruding on an outer circumferential surface ofthe heat exchange tube 131 and in contact with the ice I formed aroundthe cooling tube 120. Hereinafter, in order to clearly demonstrate thatthe extension member 135 described in the exemplary embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 1 to 14 is in contact with the ice I, the extensionmember 135 will be referred to as an ice contact member 135.

The heat exchange tube 131 may be arranged in the tank body 110 in amanner surrounding a circumference of the cooling tube 120. That is, asillustrated in FIG. 17, the heat exchange tube 131 may be arrangedaround the cooling tube 120 having the spiral shape,three-dimensionally, in the manner surrounding the circumference of thecooling tube 120.

Meanwhile, in FIG. 17, although a water inflow hole 131 a and a wateroutflow hole 131 b of the heat exchange tube 131 are illustrated aspassing through one side of the tank body 110, a path of the heatexchange tube 131 may be variously modified. For example, a location ofthe water outflow hole 131 b of the heat exchange tube 131 isillustrated differently in FIG. 15 from that illustrated in FIG. 17, forease of illustration.

The heat exchange tube 131 may have a spiral shape, three-dimensionally,like the cooling tube 120.

As described in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 14,‘the spiral shape, three-dimensionally’ described in the specificationand claims may include a shape in which the heat exchange tube 131 orthe cooling tube 120 has a polygonal structure as a whole in a planview, as well as a shape in which the heat exchange tube 131 or thecooling tube 120 has a circular structure as a whole in a plan viewillustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18. That is, ‘the spiral shape,three-dimensionally’ may refer to a shape continuously formed and wound,three-dimensionally, like a screw thread, regardless of whether theshape has the polygonal structure or the circular structure in a planview.

Since the heat exchange tube 131 is arranged around the cooling tube120, a diameter of a spiral (D2 in FIG. 16) formed by the heat exchangetube 131 may be greater than a diameter of a spiral (D1 in FIG. 16)formed by the cooling tube 120. Accordingly, the heat exchange tube 131may have excellent workability and moldability.

For example, as described above, Korean Unexamined Patent PublicationNo. 2013-0035888 discloses that a heat exchange tube is bent at almost180 degrees in order to install the heat exchange tube having a certainlength (e.g. 5 meters) or longer in a narrow internal space of a tankbody. In this case, since bursting may occur in a bend due to a largebending angle, a thickness of the heat exchange tube is increased(approximately 0.7 mm for a SUS material). However, according to theexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure as illustrated in FIGS.16 to 19, since the heat exchange tube 131 is arranged around thecooling tube 120, the diameter (D2 in FIG. 16) of the spiral formed bythe heat exchange tube 131 may increase and thereby the thickness of theheat exchange tube 131 may decrease (reduced to approximately 0.2 to0.3=fora SUS material). Likewise, when the thickness of the heatexchange tube 131 decreases, heat exchange efficiency between the waterflowing in the heat exchange tube 131 and the ice storage liquid mayincrease and cooling efficiency (efficiency of generating cold water)may also increase.

In addition, Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-0035888discloses a structure in which a cooling tube is disposed over a tankbody and the heat exchange tube is disposed under the tank body. In thiscase, since the density of tubes is high at a lower portion of the tankbody but low at an upper portion of the tank body, space utilizationefficiency of the ice storage liquid is lowered and efficient use of theice storage liquid is difficult. However, according to the exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure as illustrated in FIGS. 16 to 19,since the heat exchange tube 131 is disposed around the cooling tube120, the density of tubes may be uniform at both upper and lowerportions of the tank body 110. Accordingly, not only the spaceutilization efficiency of the ice storage liquid may increase, but alsothe ice storage liquid may be efficiently used at both upper and lowerportions of the tank body 110. That is, since the distance between theheat exchange tube 131 and the cooling tube 120 is uniform throughoutthe total length of the heat exchange tube 131, the ice I formed on theouter circumferential surface of the cooling tube 120 having arelatively low temperature and the ice storage liquid having a lowtemperature around the cooling tube 120 may be efficiently used. Inparticular, since the heat exchange tube 131 disclosed in KoreanUnexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-0035888 has a dense structure,flowing or mixing of the ice storage liquid is insufficient, resultingin unevenness of the temperature of the ice storage liquid. However,according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, sincethe cooling tube 120 and the heat exchange tube 131 are arranged to beadjacent to each other as a whole and the ice I formed on the outercircumferential surface of the cooling tube 120 is in direct contactwith the ice contact member 135, cooling efficiency may be improved.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, sincethe cold of the ice I formed on the outer circumferential surface of thecooling tube 120 is directly transferred to the heat exchange tube 131and the water flowing inside the heat exchange tube 131 through the icecontact member 135 by conduction, cold water generation efficiency maybe increased.

In addition, as illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17, the cooling tube 120 andthe heat exchange tube 131 of the cold water generating unit 130 may beconfigured to maintain a constant distance in a width direction (or adiameter direction), and accordingly, a structure in which the icecontact member 135 is easily in contact with the ice I formed on thecooling tube 120 may be ensured. In particular, when the distancebetween the cooling tube 120 and the heat exchange tube 131 is notconstant, a length (width) of the ice contact member 135 needs to beadjusted according to the distance between the cooling tube 120 and theheat exchange tube 131 so that the ice contact member 135 is in contactwith the ice I formed around the cooling tube 120. However, when thecooling tube 120 and the heat exchange tube 131 maintains the constantdistance, fabrication of the cold water generating unit 130 may beeasier since the length (width) of the ice contact member 135 does notneed to be adjusted.

In this manner, since the ice contact member 135 of the cold watergenerating unit 130 is in contact with the ice I formed on the outercircumferential surface of the cooling tube 120, a height (TH in FIG.16) of the heat exchange tube 131 in a longitudinal direction may be setto be greater than the diameter (D1 in FIG. 16) of the spiral of thecooling tube 120, in order to extend a length of the cold watergenerating unit 130 in which the ice contact member 135 is in contactwith the ice I. Through this, the internal space of the cooling tube 120may be reduced, and the ice contact member 135 may be in sufficientcontact with the ice I formed on the cooling tube 120 in the verticaldirection (longitudinal direction).

Here, the height TH of the heat exchange tube 131 in the longitudinaldirection may be 1.5 to 10 times, preferably 1.5 to 5 times, thediameter D1 of the spiral formed by the cooling tube 120. When theheight TH of the heat exchange tube 131 in the longitudinal direction issmaller than the diameter D1 of the spiral formed by the cooling tube120 by 1.5 times, the internal space of the cooling tube 120 may not beefficiently used since the diameter D1 of the spiral formed by thecooling tube 120 becomes relatively great. On the contrary, when theheight TH of the heat exchange tube 131 in the longitudinal direction isgreater than the diameter D1 of the spiral formed by the cooling tube120 by 10 times, not only a length of the tank body 110 may becomeexcessively large thereby limiting installation of the tank body 110 inthe water cooler 200, but also the diameter D1 of the spiral formed bythe cooling tube 120 may become excessively small, thereby limitingmolding of the cooling tube 120.

Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 16, a portion of the ice contact member 135facing the cooling tube 120 may be configured in such a manner that awidth W1 of the portion protruding from the outer circumferentialsurface of the heat exchange tube 131 is greater than the outer diameterof the heat exchange tube 131. Here, when the ice I is in direct contactwith the heat exchange tube 131, water flowing inside the heat exchangetube 131 may freeze and the heat exchange tube 131 may be frozen andburst. Accordingly, a generation thickness of the ice I or a temperatureof the ice storage liquid may be controlled so that the ice I formed onthe cooling tube 120 does not grow to the heat exchange tube 131.Moreover, in order to secure a more stable ice-contact structure, theice contact member 135 may preferably be elongated to a certain degree.In this regard, the length W1 of the ice contact member 135 protrudingfrom the outer circumferential surface of the heat exchange tube 131 maybe greater than the outer diameter of the heat exchange tube 131.

However, when the length of the ice contact member 135 is excessivelylong, inefficiency in utilization of a space between the cooling tube120 and the heat exchange tube 131 may increase since a distance betweenthe cooling tube 120 and the heat exchange tube 131 becomes excessivelyfar due to the ice contact member 135. Further, since an area in whichthe ice contact member 135 is in contact with the ice storage liquidinstead of the ice I increases, heat transfer efficiency by conductionmay be lowered. In this regard, the portion of the ice contact member135 facing the cooling tube 120 may be configured in such a manner thatthe length W1 of the portion protruding from the outer circumferentialsurface of the heat exchange tube 131 is about 5 times the outerdiameter of the heat exchange tube 131 or less.

In addition, as described above, in order to prevent the ice I frombeing in direct contact with the heat exchange tube 131, the portion ofthe ice contact member 135 facing the cooling tube 120 may be configuredin such a manner that a length W2 protruding from a center of the heatexchange tube 131 is one third of a distance DL between centers of thecooling tube 120 and the heat exchange tube 131 or more. In this case aswell, the length W1 of the portion protruding from the outercircumferential surface of the heat exchange tube 131 may be about 5times the outer diameter of the heat exchange tube 131 or less.

In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 16, when the cold water generatingunit 130 has the spiral shape, the ice contact member 135 may need tohave a width W in a direction toward the cooling tube 120 greater than aheight H in a direction perpendicular thereto. That is, the width W ofthe ice contact member 135 formed to be in contact with the cooling tube120 may preferably be increased while maintaining the height H of theice contact member 135 in the direction perpendicular to the directiontoward the cooling tube 120 in order to minimize interference betweenthe ice contact members 135 disposed on upper and lower portions of theheat exchange tube 131 having the spiral shape.

In addition, although the ice contact member 135 is illustrated ashaving the width W of the portion facing the cooling tube 120 greaterthan a width of the opposite portion thereto in FIG. 16, the ice contactmember 135 is not limited thereto. Both of the portion facing thecooling tube 120 and the opposite portion thereto may have the increasedwidth.

Meanwhile, although the shape of the ice contact member 135 is limitedbased on the widths W, W1, W2, and H of the ice contact member 135 andthe distance DL between the centers of the cooling tube 120 and the heatexchange tube 131, the cold water generating tank 100 and the watercooler 200 according to the exemplary embodiments of the presentdisclosure may not be limited to those specific shapes of the icecontact member 135. It should be understood that any cold watergenerating tank and water cooler in which the ice contact member 135 isin contact with the ice I formed on the cooling tube 120 to cool thewater flowing in the heat exchange tube 131, may be within the scope ofthe present inventive concept.

In addition, the ice contact member 135 of the cold water generatingunit 130 may include a plurality of fin members integrally formed withthe outer circumferential surface of the heat exchange tube 131 orinstalled on the outer circumferential surface of the heat exchange tube131, around the heat exchange tube 131 (Hereinafter, the ice contactmember 135 and the fin members are designated by the same referencenumeral, 135).

As illustrated in FIG. 18, the fin members 135 may be arranged on theouter circumferential surface of the spiral-shaped heat exchange tube131 at a predetermined interval. Although the fin members 135 areschematically illustrated as being in contact with each other in FIGS.17 and 18, the fin members 135 may be arranged at a predeterminedinterval as illustrated in the enlarged view at the upper left corner ofFIG. 18 so that the ice storage liquid can be in contact with the heatexchange tube 131 through a space between the fin members 135. Here, thefin members 135 may be arranged at the predetermined interval, but arenot limited thereto. In addition, the fin members 135 may be installedin the entire area in which the heat exchange tube 131 is adjacent tothe cooling tube 120, but are not limited thereto. The fin members 135may be partially installed on the heat exchange tube 131 when the coldwater generating unit 130 is formed by connecting a plurality ofsegmented heat exchange tube units 130 u each other using a connectionmember 137, as illustrated in FIG. 22 to be described later.

The fin members 135 may be formed to have a rectangular cross-section ora circular or elliptical cross-section.

In addition, the fin members 135 may be formed of a material includingaluminum or stainless steel (SUS). That is, the fin members 135 may beformed of stainless steel, which is the same material as the heatexchange tube 131, or aluminum to increase heat exchange efficiency. Inaddition, anti-corrosion coating may be performed on the heat exchangetube 131 to prevent corrosion thereof.

Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIG. 19, the cold water generating unit 130may include a first portion (that is, a portion installed outside thecooling tube 120) surrounding the circumference of the cooling tube 120in an outside of the cooling tube 120, and a second portion (that is, aportion provided installed inside the spiral of the cooling tube 120)passing through an inside of the spiral of the cooling tube 120. Thatis, the heat exchange tube 131 forming the cold water generating unit130 may include the first portion installed to surround the cooling tube120 in a spiral shape, and the second portion extending from the firstportion or connected to the first portion and passing through a centerof the spiral of the cooling tube 120. In addition, since the icecontact member 135 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of theheat exchange tube 131, the ice contact member 135 may be in contactwith the ice I formed on the circumference of the cooling tube 120 atthe inside and outside of the cooling tube 120. Accordingly, the contactarea between the ice I and the ice contact member 135 according to themodified embodiment illustrated in FIG. 19 may be greater than thataccording to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 16, coolingefficiency may be greatly improved.

Next, a cold water generating tank 100 according to another exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference toFIGS. 20 to 25.

The cold water generating tank 100 to be described with reference toFIGS. 20 to 25, like the cold water generating tank 100 described withreference to FIGS. 16 to 19, may include a tank body 110 having aninternal space of a predetermined size and accommodating an ice storageliquid, a cooling tube 120 installed in the internal space of the tankbody 110 to cool the ice storage liquid accommodated in the tank body110, and a cold water generating unit 130 in which inflowing waterbecomes cold water by heat exchange with the ice storage liquid. Thecold water generating unit 130 may include a heat exchange tube 131 andthe ice contact member 135.

However, there are differences in that the cold water generating tank100 illustrated in FIGS. 20 to 25 has a structure in which the coolingtube 120 and the cold water generating unit 130 are layered and stackedin a vertical direction in the tank body 110.

More specifically, in the cold water generating tank 100 illustrated inFIGS. 20 to 25, the cooling tube 120 formed in a zigzag pattern may formlayers 120′, 120″, and 120″, and the cold water generating unit 130 mayalso form layers 130′ and 130″ between the layers 120′, 120″, and 120″of the cooling tube 120.

Although the cooling tube 120 forms three layers 120′, 120″, and 120′″and the cold water generating unit 130 forms two layers 130′ and 130″between the layers 120′, 120″, and 120′″ of the cooling tube 120 inFIGS. 20 to 22, it should be understood that any cold water generatingtank in which the cooling tube 120 and the cold water generating unit130 have a layered structure may be within the scope of the presentinventive concept.

The cooling tube 120 may form the zigzag pattern in each of the layers120′, 120″, and 120″, and the layers 120′, 120″, and 120″ are connected.The cooling tube 120 may be integrally formed or completely combined bywelding in order to prevent leakage of a refrigerant.

In addition, the heat exchange tube 131 of the cold water generatingunit 130, like the cooling tube 120, may be integrally formed in thezigzag pattern, and fin members 135 may be arranged on the outercircumferential surface of the heat exchange tube 131 at a predeterminedinterval.

Alternatively, the cold water generating unit 130 may be formed byconnecting a plurality of segmented heat exchange tube units 130 uincluding the heat exchange tube 131 and the fin members 135. Here, thecold water generating unit 130 may have a structure forming a zigzagpattern as a whole, as illustrated in FIG. 20. However, the structure ofthe cold water generating unit 130 may be variously modified to have,for example, a spiral pattern on a plane instead of the zigzag pattern,as long as the cold water generating unit 130 forms a layered structure.

As illustrated in FIG. 22, the segmented heat exchange tube units 130 umay have a structure in which the fin members 135 are arranged on theouter circumferential surface of the segmented heat exchange tube 131 u.

Here, the plurality of segmented heat exchange tube units 130 u may beconnected by a connection member 137 connecting ends of the segmentedheat exchange tube 131 u. The connection member 137 may consist of, forexample, tubing formed of a flexible material, but is not limitedthereto. That is, a metallic connecting pipe may be attached to an endof the segmented heat exchange tube 131 u by welding or the like.

In addition, a clamping member 138 may be used to tightly attach theconnection member 137 to the end of the segmented heat exchange tubeunit 131 u.

In addition, the segmented heat exchange tube units 130 u may beconnected each other by the connection member 137 to form unit layers130′ and 130″ forming a zigzag pattern or the like, and the unit layers130′ and 130″ may be arranged over or under the cooling tube 120 to formthe cold water generating unit 130 having a plurality of layers. Thatis, the unit layers 130′ and 130″ may respectively include heat exchangetubes 131′ and 131″ and fin members 135′ and 135″, and the unit layers130′ and 130″ may be alternatively disposed between the unit layers120′, 120″, and 120′″ of the cooling tube 120 to form a laminatedstructure.

Referring to FIG. 21, due to the laminated structure, at least a portionof the extension member 135 included in cold water generating unit 130may be in contact with the ice I formed on the cooling tube 120 on bothsides thereof. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 21, fin members 135′formed in a unit layer 130′ may be in contact with the ice I formed onthe unit layers 120′ and 120″ of the cooling tube 120 disposed over andunder the unit layer 130′ on both sides (upper and lower sides) of theunit layer 130′, and fin members 135″ formed in the other unit layer130″ may be in contact with the ice I formed on the other unit layers120″ and 120′″ of the cooling tube 120 disposed over and under the unitlayer 130″ on both sides (upper and lower sides) of the unit layer 130″.Meanwhile, although the unit layers 130′ and 130″ of the cold watergenerating unit 130 are illustrated as being disposed between the unitlayers 120′, 120″, and 120″ of the cooling tube 120 in FIG. 21, aportion of the extension member 135 may be configured to be in contactwith the ice I formed on the cooling tube 120 at one side thereof,depending on the number of unit layers of the cold water generating unit130 and the cooling tube 120, types of the outermost unit layers, or thelike.

Meanwhile, although a direction of the zigzag pattern of the coolingtube 120 is parallel to a direction of the zigzag pattern of the coldwater generating unit 130 according to the exemplary embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 20 and 21, the direction of the zigzag pattern ofthe cooling tube 120 may be perpendicular to the direction of the zigzagpattern of the cold water generating unit 130 according to a modifiedembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 23 and 24. Even in this case, at least aportion of the extension member 135 provided in the cold watergenerating unit 130 may be configured to be in contact with the ice Iformed on the cooling tube 120 on both sides thereof, like the extensionmember 135 as illustrated in FIG. 24.

In addition, according to a modified embodiment illustrated in FIG. 25,the fin members 135′ and 135″ provided in the unit layers 120′, 120″ ofthe cold water generating unit 130 connect the plurality of heatexchange tubes 131′ and 131″. Although not illustrated in FIG. 25, theabove-described connection member 137 may be used to connect the unitlayers 120′, 120″.

According to a modified embodiment illustrated in FIG. 25, since theheat exchange tubes 131′ and 131″ provided in the unit layers 130′ and130″ can be integrated, it may be easier to fabrication of the coldwater generating unit 130 may become easier and heat transfer from theice I may be uniformly performed.

Meanwhile, according to the exemplary embodiment and modifiedembodiments illustrated in FIGS. 20 to 25, a portion of the ice contactmember 135 facing the cooling tube 120 may be configured to have alength (please refer to W1 in FIG. 16) protruding from the outercircumferential surface of the heat exchange tube 131 greater than anouter diameter of the heat exchange tube 131 and, that is, 5 times theouter diameter of the heat exchange tube 131 or less. In addition, inthe portion of the ice contact member 135 facing the cooling tube 120, alength (please refer to W2 in FIG. 16) protruding from a center of theheat exchange tube 131 may be one third of a distance DL between acenter of the cooling tube 120 and the center of the heat exchange tube131 or more.

Next, a cold water generating tank 100 according to another exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference toFIGS. 26 to 28.

The cold water generating tank 100 illustrated in FIGS. 26 and 27 may beconfigured to have a structure in which a cooling tube 120 is disposedover a cold water generating unit 130, and an ice contact member 135 ofthe cold water generating unit 130 may be in contact with ice I formedon the cooling tube 120.

That is, as illustrated in FIG. 27, the ice contact member 135 arrangedon an outer circumferential surface of the heat exchange tube 131 of thecold water generating unit 130 may be in contact with the ice I formedon a lower portion of the cooling tube 120. In this case, the icecontact member 135 may sufficiently extend toward the cooling tube 120in order to increase a contact area between the ice contact member 135and the ice I, compared to that described in the other exemplaryembodiments of the present disclosure.

In addition, according to a modified embodiment illustrated in FIG. 28,two or more layers of the cold water generating unit 130 may be stackedunder the cooling tube 120. Here, the ice contact member 135 may beconnected to the heat exchange tube 131 of the layered cold watergenerating unit 130 so as to transfer heat to the cold water generatingunit 130 far from the cooling tube 120 by being in contact with the iceI.

Meanwhile, as described in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS.1 to 14, the ice storage liquid accommodated in the tank body 110 may beformed of water having a freezing point of 0° C., or an aqueouspropylene glycol solution having a freezing point lower than 0° C. toincrease heat capacity (heat content) of the ice storage liquid. Adetailed description thereof may be substituted by the descriptiondescribed above.

Next, a process of generating cold water by the water cooler 200 and thecold water generating tank 100 according to an exemplary embodiments ofthe present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 15, 16,and 29.

Referring to FIGS. 15, 16, and 29, when a temperature of the ice storageliquid measured by the sensor unit 180 is lower than a set temperature,or a size (thickness) of the ice I formed on the cooling tube 120 issmaller than a set thickness, the controller C may drive the coolingunit 220 to lower the temperature of the ice storage liquid accommodatedin the tank body 110 and grow the ice I formed on the outercircumferential surface of the cooling tube 120. Meanwhile, although theice I formed on the cooling tube 120 is illustrated to have a uniformthickness over the entire cooling tube 120 in FIGS. 16, 19, and 24, theshape of the ice I formed on the cooling tube 120 may vary depending ona pitch of the cooling tube 120 or a controlled size (thickness) of theice I.

Accordingly, a predetermined size (thickness) of ice I may be formed onthe outer circumferential surface of the cooling tube 120, and thecontroller C may stop driving the cooling unit 220 when the temperatureof the ice storage liquid reaches the set temperature or the size of theice I formed on the cooling tube 120 reaches or exceeds predeterminedsize (thickness) as illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 29.

Meanwhile, when a water output signal is input from the water outlet230, the controller C may open a shut-off valve (not shown) installed inthe water outlet 230 to extract cold water.

In this manner, when the water outlet 230 is opened, the water flowingin the cold water generating unit 130 may be cooled by heat exchangewith the ice storage liquid to be supplied to a user through the wateroutlet cock.

During the process of extracting cold water, since the water flowing inthe heat exchange tube 131 of the cold water generating unit 130exchanges heat by receiving the coldness of the ice I in contact withthe ice contact member 135, the heat exchange efficiency may beextremely high. As a result, a length of the heat exchange tube 131 maybe shortened, thereby minimizing decrease in a flow rate according toincrease in the length of the heat exchange tube 131.

According to an experimental embodiment, although a surface temperatureof the ice I formed on the cooling tube 120 and the ice contact member135 in direct contact with the ice I was 0° C., the temperature of theice contact member 135 near an interface with the ice I was measured asabout 0.6 to 0.8° C., and a surface temperature of the heat exchangetube 131 was measured as 1 to 2° C. As such, the surface temperature ofthe heat exchange tube 131 was significantly affected by the ice contactmember 135 in contact with the ice I, resulting in active heat exchangewith the water flowing in the heat exchange tube 131. Accordingly, theefficiency of generating cold water was greatly increased.

In particular, the greater the length of the ice contact member 135, thewider the initial contact area between the ice contact member 135 andthe ice I may be. Accordingly, heat capacity by ice I may be increased.That is, the wider the contact area between the ice contact member 135and the ice I, the greater the effect of increasing the amount of coldwater extracted for a long period of time and at a temperature lowerthan a predetermined temperature even when the ice I is melt by heatexchange may be.

In this manner, according to exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure, by forming the ice contact member 135 on the outercircumferential surface of the heat exchange tube 131 configuring thecold water generating unit 130 and allowing the ice contact member 135to be in contact with the ice I, a sufficient amount of cold water maybe generated without using a pumping device or an agitator forcirculation of the ice storage liquid. Although a circulation structureor agitating structure for the ice storage liquid is not illustrated inthe specification, it is obvious that such circulation structure oragitating structure for the ice storage liquid may be adopted in orderto further improve the efficiency of generating cold water according tothe exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In this case, thecirculation structure and/or agitating structure for the ice storageliquid, in addition to the ice contact member 135, may be within thescope of the present inventive concept.

In addition, according to the exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure, since the heat transfer by direct conduction between the iceI and the ice contact member 135 is implemented, the total volume of theice storage liquid may be reduced and the length of the heat exchangetube 131 may be shortened due to rapid heat exchange and high heatexchange efficiency. Accordingly, decrease in flow rate caused byincrease in length of the heat exchange tube 131 may be minimized.

Meanwhile, during the process of extracting cold water, when atemperature sensed by the sensor unit 180 is lower than a settemperature or the size (thickness) of the ice I formed on the coolingtube 120 is smaller than a set thickness, the cooling unit 220 may beoperated.

In addition, when the user completes the process of extracting coldwater and therefore a close signal is input to the controller C, thecontroller C may close the shut-off valve. Here, the operation of thecooling unit 220 may be controlled to stop immediately after the closesignal to close the shut-off valve is input, or to continue until thetemperature of the ice storage liquid reaches the set value or the sizeof the ice I formed on the cooling tube 120 becomes a certain size ormore.

While exemplary embodiments have been shown and described above, it willbe apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications andvariations could be made without departing from the scope of theinvention as defined by the appended claims.

In particular, the ice contact member 135 may be used as the extensionmember 135 in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 14, aswell as in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 15 to 29.Further, the circulation unit 140 and the blocking member 190 may beprovided in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 15 to 29, aswell as in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 14.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   100 . . . COLD WATER GENERATING TANK-   110 . . . TANK BODY-   120 . . . COOLING TUBE-   130 . . . COLD WATER GENERATING UNIT-   130U . . . SEGMENTED HEAT EXCHANGE TUBE UNIT-   131 . . . HEAT EXCHANGE TUBE-   135 . . . EXTENSION MEMBER (ICE CONTACT MEMBER, FIN MEMBERS)-   137 . . . CONNECTING MEMBER-   140 . . . CIRCULATION UNIT-   141 . . . INTAKE MEMBER-   142 . . . SUPPLY TUBE-   143 . . . MANIFOLD-   150 . . . PUMPING MEMBER-   155 . . . INTAKE MEMBER-   160 . . . JETTING MEMBER-   180 . . . SENSOR UNIT-   190 . . . BLOCKING MEMBER-   200 . . . WATER COOLER-   210 . . . FILTER UNIT-   220 . . . COOLING UNIT-   230 . . . WATER OUTLET-   C . . . CONTROLLER

The invention claimed is:
 1. A cold water generating tank comprising: atank body accommodating an ice storage liquid cooled by a cooling unit;a cooling tube included in the tank body and configured to cool the icestorage liquid accommodated in the tank body; a cold water generatingunit including a heat exchange tube configured to form a flow path onwhich inflowing water becomes cold water by heat exchange with the icestorage liquid and an extension member located in an outercircumferential surface of the heat exchange tube and configured toincrease a contact area with the ice storage liquid; and a circulationunit configured to circulate the ice storage liquid accommodated in thetank body, wherein the cold water generating unit is installed insidethe tank body to surround a circumference of the cooling tube, whereinthe cooling tube and the heat exchange tube each have athree-dimensional spiral shape, and the heat exchange tube surrounds thecooling tube, wherein the circulation unit jets the ice storage liquidin a direction from the cooling tube toward the cold water generatingunit, wherein the circulation unit comprises a jetting member and acirculating pump, wherein the jetting member is arranged in a centerportion of the spiral shape of the cooling tube in a longitudinaldirection of the cooling tube and is configured to jet the ice storageliquid to the cooling tube, wherein the circulating pump is configuredto intake the ice storage liquid in the tank body to supply the jettingmember, and wherein a space is provided between each turn of the coolingtube and the heat exchange tube in the longitudinal direction, and thejetting member is configured to circulate the ice storage liquid in aradial direction from a center portion of the cooling tube to the coldwater generating unit.
 2. The cold water generating tank of claim 1,wherein the circulation unit further includes an intake memberconfigured to supply the ice storage liquid in the tank body to thecirculating pump, and the intake member is disposed in a space between acircumference of the cold water generating unit and the tank body. 3.The cold water generating tank of claim 1, wherein the jetting memberextends in the longitudinal direction of the cooling tube and includes aplurality of injection holes.
 4. The cold water generating tank of claim1, wherein the circulating pump is disposed inside the tank body.
 5. Thecold water generating tank of claim 1, wherein the circulation unitincludes a blocking member configured to restrict flow between thejetting member and the circulating pump to prevent the ice storageliquid jetted from the jetting member from directly flowing into thecirculating pump.
 6. The cold water generating tank of claim 1, whereinthe cooling tube and the cold water generating unit form circular spiralshapes and maintain a constant distance therebetween.
 7. The cold watergenerating tank of claim 1, wherein the extension member has a shapeprotruding from the outer circumferential surface of the heat exchangetube, and consist of an ice contact member configured to be in contactwith ice formed on a circumference of the cooling tube.
 8. The coldwater generating tank of claim 7, wherein the cold water generating unitincludes a first portion surrounding the circumference of the coolingtube and a second portion arranged in a center portion of the spiralshape of the cooling tube, and the ice contact member located at thefirst portion and the second portion, respectively, is in contact withthe ice formed on the circumference of the cooling tube.
 9. The coldwater generating tank of claim 7, wherein a portion of the ice contactmember facing the cooling tube has a length protruding from the outercircumferential surface of the heat exchange tube greater than an outerdiameter of the heat exchange tube.
 10. The cold water generating tankof claim 7, wherein the ice contact member has a structure in which awidth in a direction toward the cooling tube is greater than a widthperpendicular to the direction toward the cooling tube.
 11. The coldwater generating tank of claim 1, wherein the extension member includesa plurality of fin members formed integrally with the outercircumferential surface of the heat exchange tube around the heatexchange tube or installed on the outer circumferential surface of theheat exchange tube, and the fin members have a structure in which aportion adjacent to the cooling tube has a width greater than a heightand extends toward the cooling tube.
 12. A cold water generating tankcomprising: a tank body accommodating an ice storage liquid cooled by acooling unit; a cooling tube included in the tank body and configured tocool the ice storage liquid accommodated in the tank body; a cold watergenerating unit including a heat exchange tube configured to form a flowpath on which inflowing water becomes cold water by heat exchange withthe ice storage liquid and an extension member located in an outercircumferential surface of the heat exchange tube and configured toincrease a contact area with the ice storage liquid; and a circulationunit comprising a jetting member, a circulating pump and a blockingmember, configured to circulate the ice storage liquid accommodated inthe tank body, wherein the blocking member is configured to restrictflow between the jetting member and the circulating pump to prevent theice storage liquid jetted from the jetting member from directly flowinginto the circulating pump, and wherein the blocking member has adiameter greater than a diameter of the spiral formed by the coolingtube.
 13. The cold water generating tank of claim 12, wherein the coldwater generating unit is installed inside the tank body to surround acircumference of the cooling tube.
 14. The cold water generating tank ofclaim 12, wherein the cooling tube and the heat exchange tube each havea three-dimensional spiral shape, and the heat exchange tube surroundsthe cooling tube.
 15. The cold water generating tank of claim 12,wherein the circulation unit jets the ice storage liquid from thecooling tube toward the cold water generating unit.
 16. The cold watergenerating tank of claim 12, wherein the jetting member is arranged in acenter portion of the spiral shape of the cooling tube in a longitudinaldirection of the cooling tube and is configured to circulate the icestorage liquid to the cooling tube, and the circulating pump isconfigured to intake the ice storage liquid in the tank body to supplythe jetting member.